DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN
Key figures
| Initial franchise fee | $40,000 |
| Total investment (Item 7) | $619,800 – $1,963,000 |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 6% of gross sales |
| Headquarters state | CA |
| Legal name (Item 1) | Dave’s Hot Chicken Franchise Co. SPV LLC |
| FDD issuance date | 2025-09-26 |
| Franchised units (Item 20) | 348 (Item 20, p.81) |
| Brand website | https://daveshotchicken.com |
About DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN
Explore Dave’s Hot Chicken franchise costs, fees, requirements and support. See Item 7 investment ranges and learn what it takes to join this fast-growing brand. Dave’s Hot Chicken franchise offers a bold concept, strong training, and fast-growing opportunities for entrepreneurs in the food industry. It costs on average between $620,000 – $1,963,000 to start a Dave’s Hot Chicken franchised restaurant. Considering only experienced, multi-unit restaurant franchisees at this time. This informati...
Due diligence dossier
Every figure below is as disclosed in this brand's own FDD, with its FDD citation. FranchiseKI adds no analysis and estimates nothing.
Risk & history facts
| Litigation matters disclosed (Item 3) | 3 (Item 3, p.23 of the FDD) |
| Bankruptcy (Item 4) | No bankruptcy disclosed (Item 4) (Item 4, p.24 of the FDD) |
Ownership & operations
| Typical time to open | 12 months (Item 11, p.52 of the FDD) |
Training: We provide an initial training program described below (Franchise Agreement, Sections 6.1 and 6.2; Non-Traditional Location Addendum, Section 4; Food Truck Addendum, Section 8). (Item 11, p.52 of the FDD)
Company facts
| Headquarters | CA |
Questions to ask the franchisor
Generated from what this brand's FDD data does not disclose — ask DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN directly:
- What liquid capital does the franchisor require of a new franchisee? It is not disclosed in the FDD data we hold for this brand.
- What minimum net worth does the franchisor require? It is not disclosed in the FDD data we hold for this brand.
- Does the franchisor make financial performance representations (Item 19)? If it does, ask for the average unit revenue. Ask for the median too. This FDD makes none that we could extract.
- What does the brand's recent unit history show over the last three years (Item 20)? Ask about openings. Ask about closures. Ask about transfers. We have not extracted a unit-history table for this brand.
- How exactly is the territory defined and protected (Item 12)? Ask for the territory map and the reserved-rights carve-outs in writing.
Territory — what the FDD says (Item 12)
Under this brand's Item 12 rule, the territory carries some protection but not full exclusivity — for example, the franchisor may reserve certain channels or accounts. Future concepts may also be reserved. Areas inside an existing franchisee's protected territory are generally not available to a new buyer for a directly competing unit; the exact limits are in the FDD text quoted above.
The FDD's own words (Item 12): “territory is NOT exclusive - the FDD states you will not receive an exclusive territory. We began offering franchises (“Franchise(s)”) for Dave’s Hot Chicken Restaurants as of the date of this Franchise Disclosure Document. DHCFC LLC previously offered Franchises for Dave’s Hot”
Where DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN operates today
Per the brand's FDD outlet table (Item 20, Table 3 — franchised outlets by state, latest fiscal year): 318 franchised units across 40 states.
Projected openings (Item 20, Table 5)
Franchise agreements the FDD projects for the next fiscal year:
Source: daves-hot-chicken-fdd-2026-067eaa27.pdf, Item 20. Counts are the franchisor's own disclosures.
Why two unit counts? The Key figures above cite 348 franchised units (Item 20, p.81) — the franchisor's reported franchised-unit total. The map above sums Item 20, Table 3 (franchised outlets by state at fiscal year-end), which totals 318. The two Item 20 figures are compiled on different bases, so they need not match.
What is NOT available
Not available: any area inside an existing franchisee's protected territory while that agreement runs. Existing units sit in: AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI — a specific address near an existing unit is governed by that territory's boundaries.
Only the franchisor can confirm availability.
Next steps with DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN
Put DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN on a shortlist. Compare it side by side with two other brands. Check it against your budget in the PerfectFit Quiz. Or talk it through with a vetted consultant. That conversation is free to buyers; call (385) 475-5319. Only the franchisor can confirm current terms. Only the franchisor can confirm territory availability.